Improved portable stool



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER D. ABBOTT, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES A.GABDINER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEDPORTABLE STOOL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,208, dated October6, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER D. ABBOTT, of Chelsea, in the county ofSufi'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved PortableStool or Chair; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken inconnection with the drawings which accompany and form part of thisspecification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enablethose skilled in the art to practice it.

This invention consists in the application of a folding back to aportable or folding stool, sometimes called a camp-stool, convertingsuch a stool into a chair.

The drawings represent a stool embodying my improvement, Figure 1showing a top view or plan ofthe same, and Fig. 2 a side elevation ofit.

A A A A denote four legs or posts, one of which is jointed at its centerto each side ofa quadrangular band or strap, B, the legs turning on thesides of said strap, so that when they are spread open and the stoolstands erect they assume the position seen in Fig. 2. To the top ends ofthese four legs the seat 0, made of cloth or other suitable material, isapplied, one corner of the seat being fastened to the top of each post.

To the top of each rear leg, A A", one end ofv a movable arm, I), isjointed by a pin or rivet a, each arm being so jointed as to be capableof swinging diagonally in a plane parallel to that in which the arm towhich it is jointed moves. \Vhen the stool is erect, and the back is tobe used, the arms D stand vertical, or nearly vertical, as seen in Fig.2. A cross-band or back-rest, E, connects the tops of the arms D, andtwo side bands, F F, hold them in position, or keep the back fromswinging over when the person sitting on the stool leans against theband E, the side bands for this purpose extending from the tops of thefront legs, A A, to the tops of the adjacent arms D. hen the stool is inuse, it will be observed that the weight of the sitter has a tendency tospread apart the tops of the legs and thereby draws taut the band E, andkeeps it from sagging. When the stool is to be closed or folded up, theends of the legs are drawn together, and as their tops approach eachother, the relaxation of the side bands, F, allows the armsD to beturned over backward and to be brought down, so as to lie against thesides of the legs A A to which they are jointed, as seen by dotted linesin Fig. 2, the whole stool, when so folded, assuming the position seenin Fig. 3, which denotes a view of the stool when so folded. To open thestool, I generally hang the arms somewhat loosely to the legs, so thatby a quick outward or upward movement given to the legs as they arespread, the arms are thrown up into proper position. Vhen it is notwished to use the back, the arms may be allowed to rest against thelegs, as seen by dotted lines in Fig. 2, or to hang vertically-down fromthe tops of the legs, the opening of the stool not interfering with orbeing interferred with by these positions of the arms. By thisconstruction of the stool, and adaptation of the arms and bands toobtain a support for the back, I obtain a light, portable, and easilyadjusted folding stool and chair, and one in which all the parts lie inclose juxtaposition when the stool is folded, making a compactarrangement of members, as will be readily understood by inspeetion ofFig. 3. I joint the legs to the band or strap on which they turn, andthe arms to the legs by strong and durable rivets, so that there is nodanger of their loosening, unt'astening, or becoming worn, exceptingfrom long and continued usage.

In camps, on shipboard, when traveling, and at various other times,these portable stools or chairs are found very convenient and useful,and such an article, having a support for the back, has long been adesideratum which my stool will be found to supply.

I claim- Combining folding arms (which in connection with bands form aback) with the folding legs of a portable stool, substantially in themanner and for the purpose as above set forth.

OLIVER D. ABBOTT. WVitnesses:

J. B. ORosBY, FRANCIS GOULD.

